Clanton woman accused of diluting vial of morphine while working as nurse in Prattville

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A Clanton woman is accused of diluting a vial of morphine while working as a registered nurse at Prattville Baptist Hospital.

Susie Michelle Strength, 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a single count of tampering with a consumer product, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama stated in a release.

According to the indictment, Strength removed some of the morphine from a vial, replaced it with saline solution, and returned the vial to the drug administration machine, called Pyxis, at the hospital.

Authorities say Strength acted with reckless disregard or extreme indifference to the risk that her actions might cause bodily injury to another person.

“The nature of the relationship between nurses and their patients is a special one which cannot be allowed to be compromised by horrendous conduct such as diluting pain medications intended for patients,” U.S. Attorney George L. Beck stated in the release.

“These patients are often in severe pain and need this pain medication,” he continued. “To dilute the morphine, puts a patient in more pain and could be life threatening. Anyone who engages in such behavior deserves to be aggressively prosecuted.”

The tampering charge carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.